GOD's favour, in full security. (101) And he raised his parents to the seat of state, and they, together with his brethren, fell down and did obeisance unto him. And he said, O my father, this is the interpretation of my vision which I saw heretofore; now hath my LORD rendered it true. And he hath surely been gracious unto me, since he took me forth from the prison, and hath brought you hither from the desert, after that the devil had sown discord between me and my brethren; for my LORD is gracious unto whom he pleaseth, and he is the knowing, the wise God. (102) O LORD, thou hast given me a part of the kingdom, and hast taught me the interpretation of dark sayings. The Creator of heaven and earth! thou art my protector in this world, and in that which is to come; make me to die a Muslim, and join me with the righteous. (103) This is a secret history which we reveal unto thee,

of Egypt went forth to meet them. He adds that the number of the children of Israel who entered Egypt with him was seventytwo, and that when they were led out thence by Moses they were increased to six hundred thousand five hundred and seventy men and upwards, besides the old people and children.”—Sale, Baidhawi, Jalaluddin.

(101) He raised his parents, &c. The basis of this statement may be Gen. xlvii. II.

This is the interpretation. That Joseph made this statement is contrary to the Bible. The proud, self-satisfied spirit here attributed to Joseph is in entire keeping with the morality of Islám, but a travesty of the Bible account of Joseph.

(102) Make me to die a Muslim. "The Muhammadan authors write that Jacob dwelt in Egypt twenty-four years, and at his death ordered his body to be buried in Palestine by his father, which Joseph took care to perform; and then returning into Egypt, died twenty-three years after. They add that such high disputes arose among the Egyptians concerning his burial, that they had like to have come to blows; but at length they agreed to put his body into a marble coffin, and to sink it in the Nile, out of a superstitious imagination that it might help the regular increase of the river, and deliver them from famine for the future; but when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he took up the coffin, and carried Joseph's bones with him into Canaan, where he buried them by his ancestors." -Sale, Baidhawi.

(103) This is a secret history which we reveal unto thee, &c. I cannot conceive of Muhammad's making this statement, except as a deli

1

R 12.

O Muhammad, although thou wast not present with the brethren of Joseph when they concerted their design and contrived a plot against him. But the greater part of men, although they earnestly desire it, will not believe. (104) Thou shalt not demand of them any reward for thy publishing the Qurán; it is no other than an admonition unto all creatures.

|| (105) And how many signs soever there be of the being, unity, and providence of God in the heavens and the earth, they will pass by them, and will retire afar off from them. (106) And the greater part of them believe not in GOD, without being also guilty of idolatry. (107) Do they not believe that some overwhelming affliction shall fall on them as a punishment from GOD, or that the hour of judgment shall overtake them suddenly, when they consider not its approach? (108) Say unto those of Makkah, This is my way; I invite you unto GOD by an evident demonstration, both I and he who followeth me; and praise be unto God, I am not an idolater. (109) We sent not any apostles before thee, except men, unto whom we revealed our will, and whom we chose out of those who dwelt in cities. Will they not go through the earth, and see what

berate assertion of what he knew to be false. See Arnold's view in note on ver. 3 above.

Muir, in his Life of Mahomet, vol. ii. p. 189, puts this matter mildly as follows:-" It is possible that the convictions of Mahomet may have become so blended with his grand object and course of action, that the very study of the Coran and effort to compose it were regarded as his best season of devotion. But the stealthy and disingenuous manner in which he now availed himself of Jewish information, producing the result not only as original, but as evidence of inspiration (see Sura xxxviii. 70, xxviii. 45-47, xii. 102, &c.), begins to furnish proof of an active, though it may have been unconscious, course of dissimulation and falsehood, to be palliated only by the miserable apology of a pious end.”

(106) Idolatry. For this crime Muhammad charges not only on the idolatrous Makkans, but also on the Jews and Christians, as has been already observed more than once."-Sale.

It is not likely that Christians are referred to here, as there is scarcely any allusion to them in the Makkan Suras. See Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. ii. p. 189.

(109) Who dwelt in cities. "And not of the inhabitants of the

hath been the end of those who have preceded them? But the dwelling of the next life shall surely be better for those who fear God. Will they not therefore understand? (110) Their predecessors were borne with for a time, until, when our apostles despaired of their conversion, and they thought that they were liars, our help came unto them, and we delivered whom we pleased; but our vengeance was not turned away from the wicked people. (111) Verily in the histories of the prophets and their people there is an instructive example unto those who are endued with understanding. The Qurán is not a new invented fiction, but a confirmation of those scriptures which have been revealed before it, and a distinct explication of everything necessary in respect either to faith or practice, and a direction and mercy unto people who believe.

deserts; because the former are more knowing and compassionate, and the latter more ignorant and hard-hearted."-Sale, Baidháwi.

(111) The Qurán a confirmation, &c. This passage certainly attests the former Scriptures then extant as credible, and claims to explain more clearly than there revealed the meaning of them. Surely this one chapter proves not only how untrue this statement is, but how false that other that "the Qurán is not a new invented fiction."

CHAPTER XIII.

ENTITLED SURAT AL RAAD (THUnder).

Revealed at Makkah.

INTRODUCTION.

THE name of this chapter occurs in ver. 14. All of the best authorities agree that this chapter originated at Makkah. Most of the Muslim commentators make vers. 14, 29–31, to allude to events which occurred at Madína late in the life of the Prophet, and a few writers, says Noeldeke, have thought the whole chapter should be referred to Madína. However, the interpretations given by these commentators are based entirely upon the words of these passages, and, in the absence of better evidence, must be regarded as widely mistaken.

The internal evidence of the chapter is decidedly in favour of referring the origin of the whole to Makkah, excepting perhaps

ver. 41.

The contents of the chapter relate entirely to Muhammad's disputes with the infidel Quraish. A remarkable feature of it is its many apologies for Muhammad's failure to perform the miracles demanded by the unbelievers. On this account the author of the Notes on the Roman Urdu Qurán remarks that "this chapter should have been entitled the Chapter of Apologies."

Probable date of the Revelations.

We have already shown that this chapter, excepting ver. 41, must be referred to Makkah. As to the date of composition, the earlier verses of the chapter might be assigned to almost any period in the career of the Makkan preacher; but the latter part of the chapter must be referred to the latter part of his ministry at Makkah. This is evident from the allusion to the "adversity" of the Makkans in ver. 31, the belief of certain Jews in ver. 36, and the obstinate un

belief and opposition of the Quraish in vers. 30 and 42. If we take the allusion in vers. 36 and 37 to be to the lapse of Muhammad in his temporary compromise with idolatry about six years before the Hijra, and if we refer the statements of ver. 42 to the persecutions which arose on Muhammad's recovery from the lapse, and which culminated in the ban against the Hashimites, this portion of the chapter may be referred to the period intervening between the years 6 and 4 B.H.

God's purposes are unchangeable.

Thunder and lightning manifest God as the true object of worship.

Idolaters invoke their gods in vain

All nature worships the Creator .

The separation of infidels from true believers typefied in the

flowing stream and the melting metal

True believers described

Their reward

The end of the infidels.

Abundance of wealth no sign of God's favour

The infidels demand a sign from heaven

God directs true believers

Muhammad sent to an unbelieving people

Signs unavailing to make infidels true believers

God will punish the unbelievers .

Idolaters are reprobate .

Paradise described

Certain Jews acknowledge Muhammad to be a prophet

Muhammad exhorted to make no compromise with idolatry

Wives and children no hindrance to the prophetic office
God is lord of his own book

Muhammad a preacher only

God's judgments sure to come to pass

The plots of God's enemies not hidden from him
God attests the claims of his Prophet

VERSES

I

2-4

5

6

7

8

9-12

12

13, 14

15

16, 17

18

19-22